Oddsfish! eBook

I watched him go out to the door with his hat on,
all the other gentlemen uncovered and bowing to him,
and him nodding and smiling in very good humour, though
still limping a little. And my heart seemed to
go with him. At the door however he stopped; for
a strange thing had happened. As my Lord Ailesbury
had given the candle to the page who was to go before
them, it had suddenly gone out, though there was no
draught to blow it. The page looked very startled
and afraid, and shook his head a little. Then
one of the gentlemen sprang forward and took a candle
from one of the cressets to light the other with.
His Majesty stood smiling while this was done; but
he said nothing. When it was lighted, he turned
again, and waved his hand to the company. Then
he went out after his gentlemen.

CHAPTER VIII

It was a little after eight o’clock next morning
that I heard first of His Majesty’s seizure.

I had drunk my morning and was on the point of going
out with my man—­indeed I was descending
the stairs—­when I heard steps run past in
the gallery outside; and then another man also running.
I came out as he went past and saw that he was one
of Mr. Chiffinch’s men, very disordered-looking
and excited. I cried out to know what was the
matter, but he shook his head and flapped his hand
at me as if he could not stay, and immediately turned
off from the gallery and ran out to the right in the
direction of the King’s lodgings.

I turned to my man James who was just behind me.

“Go and see what the matter is,” I said;
for after seeing the King so well and cheerful last
night, I never thought of any illness.

While he was gone, I waited just within my door, observing
one of my engravings, with my hat on. It was
a very bitter morning. In less than five minutes
James was back again, very white and breathing fast.

“His Majesty is ill,” said he. “Mr.
Chiffinch—­”

I heard no more, for I ran out past him at a great
pace, and so to the King’s lodgings.

* * * *
*

When I came to the door of them, all was in confusion.
There was but one guard here—­(for the other
was within with the Earl of Craven)—­and
a little crowd was pestering him with questions.
I made no bones with him, but slipped in, and ran
upstairs as fast as I could. There was no one
in the first antechamber at all, and the door was
open into the private closet beyond. It was contrary
to all etiquette to enter this unbidden, but I cared
nothing for that, and ran through; and this again was
empty; so I passed out at the further door and found
myself at the head of a little stair leading down
into a wide lobby, from which opened out two or three
chambers, with the King’s bedchamber at the further
end. And here, in the lobby, I ran into the company.

There was above a dozen persons there, at least, all
talking together in low voices; but I saw no one I
cared to speak with, since I had no business in the
place at all. But no one paid any attention to
me. It was yet pretty dark here, for there were
no candles; so I waited, leaning against the wall
at the head of the stairs.